Ayrshire College Hosts Partners at 5G Innovation Region Event
Ayrshire College welcomed businesses, politicians, academics and a host of industry experts to its Kilmarnock Campus recently to discover how becoming a 5G Innovation Region aims to put Ayrshire on the map as a digital innovator.
In November last year, Ayrshire was one of two regions in Scotland to receive £3.7million of funding from the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), transforming it into a region with new cutting-edge 5G and advanced wireless technologies.
Last week’s event was a showcase to highlight some of the projects and work that has been carried out since the funding was provided. It followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) - an official agreement - between the 5G Innovation Region project partners in February 2024.
Attendees were given insights into Ayrshire's 5G vision to become the UK’s premier manufacturing-focused 5G hub, which looks to benefit local businesses by using digital technology to help upskill the current and future workforces and enhance the region’s competitiveness.
Angela Cox, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Ayrshire College, and one of the speakers at the event said:
“The 5G Extended Campus project at Ayrshire College is providing exciting immersive teaching and interactive learning experiences for our students.
“This project is one of many that we have across the College concentrating on upskilling the aerospace and engineering sector. The use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality to create exciting and interactive environments for learners marks Ayrshire College out as sector leading. We are helping to drive digital innovation by preparing students for technology enhanced industries.”
The 5G Extended Campus project uses augmented reality (AR) to conduct remote assessments, offer tutor support and provide ‘real world’ on-the-job learning experiences.
Ayrshire Council is a strategic partner in the 5G Innovation Region project in collaboration with the three Ayrshire Councils, The Scotland 5G Centre, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland and University of the West of Scotland. The initiative builds on the Ayrshire Growth Deal funding to enhance technology and improve connectivity across the region.
Councillor Martin Dowey, chair of the Ayrshire Regional Economic Partnership, added:
“We have been working collaboratively with partners for a number of years and digital innovation is very much at the heart of what we do. This initiative will bring startups, industry, and academia together with sustainability and Net Zero at its core.
“This was the first major showcase we have hosted since the funding was secured. It was great to see the work being carried out across the region and meet with all those involved in this digital revolution.”
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